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Tank · Tankless · Gas · Electric
No hot water, a leaking tank or a heater that rumbles and runs out fast usually comes down to a failed element or burner part, sediment, or a tank at the end of its life. Call (205) 000-0000 and we’ll connect you with a licensed Tuscaloosa plumber who repairs and replaces gas, electric and tankless heaters.
No rush?
Tell us what the heater is doing and leave your number. A local plumber will call you back.
If the tank is leaking, shut the cold supply valve above it and call (205) 000-0000 instead.
Diagnosis
The cause depends on the fuel. On an electric tank, the most common failures are a burned-out heating element, a bad thermostat or a tripped breaker or high-limit switch. Most electric tanks have two elements, so a heater that gives a few minutes of warm water and then goes cold often has one element out.
On a gas tank, look at the pilot. If it won’t stay lit, the thermocouple or flame sensor is a likely suspect. A dirty burner, a bad gas valve or a blocked vent can also shut the heater down. If you smell gas near the heater, leave the house and call Spire Alabama or 911 before anything else.
Less hot water than you used to get, with a rumbling or popping sound, usually means sediment has built up in the bottom of the tank.
Leaks
It depends where the water is coming from. A drip from a fitting on top, the drain valve or the temperature and pressure (T&P) relief valve can often be fixed. Water seeping from the tank body itself means the steel has rusted through, and the heater needs to be replaced. That leak won’t get better, and a tank can let go without warning.
If the tank is leaking, turn off the cold water valve above the heater and turn the heater off (gas to pilot, electric at the breaker). Then call. Don’t cap or plug the T&P valve. It’s a safety device that keeps the tank from building dangerous pressure, and if it keeps opening, the plumber needs to find out why.
Before you call
Repair or replace
Usually yes, if the tank is sound and the heater is still well inside its working life. Elements, thermostats, thermocouples, gas valves, anode rods and T&P valves are all replaceable parts. A plumber should tell you which part failed and whether the rest of the heater is in good shape.
Replacement makes more sense when the tank itself leaks, when the heater is near or past the age most tanks last (often around 8 to 12 years, depending on the model and the water), or when you’re paying for repeat repairs. If you’re replacing anyway, it’s a good time to ask whether the same size still fits your household.
Options
Most single-family homes have a 40 or 50 gallon tank, gas or electric. A replacement is simplest when it matches what you have, because the gas line, venting and wiring are already in place.
A tankless heater heats water as you use it, so it doesn’t run out during back-to-back showers and takes up much less space. It can need a larger gas line, new venting or a bigger electrical circuit, and it needs periodic descaling. A tank costs less to put in and is easier to service. A plumber can look at your gas supply, venting and panel and tell you what each option would involve in your house.
Common brands include Rheem, A.O. Smith and Bradford White for tanks, and Rinnai and Navien for tankless.
Upkeep
Flushing a tank once a year clears out the sediment that makes it noisy and less efficient. Checking the anode rod every few years matters too: it corrodes so the tank doesn’t, and once it’s gone the tank starts to rust. Test the T&P valve now and then by lifting the lever briefly. If water doesn’t flow, or it won’t stop dripping afterward, have it replaced.
Many plumbers also check for an expansion tank on homes with a closed system, which takes pressure off the heater when water warms and expands.
Questions
Still not sure? Call (205) 000-0000 and describe what you’re seeing.
Service area
We take water heater calls across Tuscaloosa, including Alberta City, Forest Lake, Hillcrest, Taylorville, Glendale Gardens, downtown and the University of Alabama area. We also cover Northport, Cottondale, Coker, Holt and the Lake Tuscaloosa area. Give us your address or ZIP code when you call and we’ll match you with a plumber who works there.
Need a different repair? See all plumbing services in Tuscaloosa.
Call and tell us what the heater is doing. We’ll connect you with a licensed plumber who repairs and replaces water heaters in Tuscaloosa.